Seven States are in the forefront in terms of expected rice purchases
On August 21, 2023, a meeting of the State Food Secretaries and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) was presided over by the Secretary of the Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), Government of India, to review the purchase plans for the Kharif Crop's upcoming Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023–2024.
In contrast to the previous year's forecasts of 518 LMT, wherein 496 LMT was actually purchased during the KMS 2022–23 (Kharif crop), a quantity of 521.27 LMT of rice has been estimated for procurement during the upcoming KMS 2023–24 (Kharif Crop). In terms of estimated rice procurement during KMS 2023–24 (Kharif Crop), the leading States are Odisha (44.28 LMT), Uttar Pradesh (44 LMT), Haryana (40 LMT), Madhya Pradesh (34 LMT), Bihar (30 LMT), Andhra Pradesh (25 LMT), West Bengal (24 LMT), and Tamil Nadu (15 LMT). These three states are followed by Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.
In comparison to the actual procurement of 7.37 LMT during KMS 2022–23 (Kharif & Rabi), a quantity of 33.09 LMT of coarse grains/millets (Shri Anna) has been estimated for procurement by the States during KMS 2023–24. Additionally, 6 minor millets have been introduced for the States to purchase at MSP of Ragi beginning this KMS 2023–2024, for a maximum of three years. The Government of India has revised the guidelines for making it easier to purchase six minor millets, added provisions for advanced subsidies, administrative fees @ 2%, and revised the distribution period for millets in order to increase the procurement and consumption of millets. States and UTs were urged to concentrate on acquiring millets, not just in honour of the International Year of Millet in 2023 but also for agricultural diversification and enhanced nutrition in dietary patterns.
The need for gunny sacks, route optimisation for moving foodgrains from designated depots to Fair Price Shops, infrastructure improvements in procurement centres, monitoring of the wheat stock limit portal, and other concerns were also covered during the conference.
Principal Secretary/Secretary (Food) or Representatives from the following states were present: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Additionally, the Department of Food & Public Distribution, the Indian Metrological Department, the Chairman & Managing Director, and the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare attended the conference.